MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Wildcats stepped up in competition and held their own Tuesday evening. Fort Valley State opened strong, but Georgia College won the first five minutes of the second half and held on for the 57-50 women's basketball final.
After Marley Bell converted a FVSU (2-3) 3-point play for a 26-19 lead midway through the second quarter, Georgia College (6-1) ran off the ensuing 11 points and held a 30-28 halftime lead. Following an opening Wildcat bucket by Cori Barnes to tie the contest in the third quarter, the Bobcats scored the next five points, increased it to 10 points and allowed the visitors to get no closer than the seven-point final in the last 15 minutes.
Aaniyah Allen finished as the lone Wildcat in double figures with 11 points, including a 3-pointer, to go with four rebounds and two assists. Camryn Oneill added nine points, four boards and a trio of assists, while Barnes contributed her own nine tallies and grabbed a pair of rebounds.
Bell and Kimora Wade combined for six points apiece with five and four rebounds to their credit. Arieonna Booker chipped in five points and two rebounds and Delissa Kier pulled in four caroms. Both Ace Stevenson and Makayla Arnold had two points to go with four and three boards.
Georgia College's Evie DePetro led all scorers with 18 points.
An Allen trey gave FVSU an early 5-1 lead and her jumper almost three minutes later increased the advantage to 13-7 only 4:34 into the contest. Oneill converted a pair of free throws and increased the visitors' edge back to six points, 19-13, before the Bobcats netted the final first-quarter points, 19-17.
Leading 49-39 at the end of 30 minutes, Georgia College inched up the lead to 54-39 at 8:40 remaining. FVSU behind back-to-back Wade buckets and an Oneill jumper pulled it back to striking distance at 54-45 with 6:39 to go. A Bell foul shot with 4:00 (55-48) and a Barnes inside jump shot at 1:59 (57-50) were as close as the Wildcat would get.
FVSU will have the rest of the week off before it travels to Mobile, Ala., for a Saturday afternoon SIAC Crossover game against Spring Hill College. Tip is set for 2 p.m. CST/3 p.m. EST.
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